Soda-water fountain



@No Model.) Y A. D.- PUFPER.

SODA WATER FOUNTAIN.

Patnted Deo. 15, 1'891.

rIIIIHININ UNTTED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

ALVIN D. PUFFER, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE AMERI- GAN SODA FOUNTAIN COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEV JERSEY.

SODA-WATER FOUNTAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,049, dated December 15, 1891.

Application filed January 16, 1891. Serial No 378,004. (No model.) l

T all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVIN D. PUFFEE, a citizen of the United States7 residing at Medford, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Soda-Water Fountains; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suoli as will enable others ro skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates to soda-water fountains; and it consists in improvements in the construction of the fountain attachment for the faucet or valve, as likewise for the faucet itself, which controls the liquid contents of zo said fountain.

My invention has for its object to provide a fountain of such construction that the contents thereof cannot come in contact with any base or corrosive metal, and also to render 2 5 the fountain-pipe very strong in proportion to its size or weight, and to provide a fountain which will be convenient for use, as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

The drawings represent, in Figure 1, a central longitudinal section of a soda-water fountain embodying Ymy improvements. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the fountain-pipe. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the bung on line Qc.

In said drawings, 2 represents a soda-water 3 5 fountain asaliquid and gas'tight vessel made of a fine qualityof steel and lined with pure blocktin. (Shown by the heavy black line 3.) Fountains of this class are usually provided with a bung secured within the top of the fountain 4o and projecting therefrom,to which is removably fastened the cock or valve 5. The bung is interiorly screw-threaded, while the shank of the valve enters the same. Objections arise from this arrangement, and the reasons therefor will be hereinafter mentioned. My present bungtis composed of a brass casting, iianged at 6 interiorly of the fountain and with a projecting portion exteriorly screwthreaded at 7. An interior shell or lining of 5o tin is shown at 8 and the fastening-nut at 9.

The valve-shell at 10 is 'fitted with a valve 12, which controls the delivery-nozzle 13. The valve-stem is preferably arranged at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the fountain.Y The ducts in this valve-shell are tinlined to prevent contact of the liquid contents with any port-ion of the brass of which the valve-shell is composed.- One important feature in this valve-shell consistsinitsmode of attachment to the bung of the fountain. 6o As will be seen by reference to Fig. l, the valve-shell is formed with a pendent hollow boss or shank 11, exteriorly of polygonal shape to enable it to be grasped when making the faucet fast to the fountain. Interiorly it is screw-threaded to engage the projecting end of the bung before mentioned. The mouth of the discharge-valve duct 15 is, moreover, enlarged and interiorly screwthreaded of a size to engage the end of the 7c fountain-pipe 16. Thus the latter is removably attached to the faucet and may be detached if necessary. Said fountain-pipe 16 is a wrought pipe in lieufof a cast one, which is liable to contain blow-holes, with a grad ual taper and preferablyof tin polygonal in crosssection, with the corners extended.' (See Fig.

2.) This makes the pipe much stiffer than if round and with the same amount of material.

It is further to be observed that the fountain- 8o pipe is smaller in diameter than the bung, as likewise that of the pendent boss or valveshank. In this way I form a packing gland or box between the pipe 16 and the boss 14,

in which a gasket 17 is to be confined. The S5 advantages of this mode of attachment are readily perceived and radically different from the usual method, inasmuch as the screwthreads are removed from all possible contact with the contents of the fountain, for this 9o reason that when the cock is made fast upon the bung and screwed into place the gasket or packing 17 is firmly pressed down upon the end of the bung. In this way all liquid is prevented from workinginto the engaging screw-threads of the boss 14 and bung 4. Furthermore, since the screw-threads are kept from the liquid they may be greased, if desired. It is apparent that by confining the gasket between metal on all sides it becomes roo that they receive much handling, and since they are extremely heavy the most ready way has been found to roll them upon their bottom edge after the manner of rolling barrel upon its chine. Hitherto this has been a slow and awkward process, since there was nothing to steady the fountain when turning, and the valve or cock was an impediment. To overcome this difficulty and to enable one hand to grasp andsteady the fountain at all times While the other was employed to give it rotary motion, I have cast a stout pin or stud 1S upon the valve-shell. This stud is to be in alignment with the central longitudinal aXis of the fountain, and upon it is fitted a hand piece or sleeve 19, free to revolve thereabout but prevented from coming off. Then a fountain is to be moved,thehandpieceisgrasped with one hand and held fast to keep thefountain in the proper oblique position, while the otherhand imparts rotary movement to the fountain,the stud revolving in the bore of the hand-piece. I do not desire to be limited to the precise form of hand-piece, since the shape may be varied.

To explain the advantage of my improved attachment between the valve or faucet and the fountain, I might add that in the old method the shank of said valve screwed into the bun g, with the packing outside the latter, thus admitting the liquid contents between the screw-threads, even to the lead washer, the water coming in contact with over twenty inches of base metal. Moreover, in the charging of the fountains the latter are not kept stationary, but are tipped end for end. I-Ience as the liquid contents are violently agitated at each charging it Will be seen that in the old form of attachment the Water will be driven into the threads and to the top, where it can wash the inner edge of the lead packing, which is an objection. l In my form of attachment 'the gasket 17 eectually prevents such action, While the .bung and the boss enable their screw-threads to be greased and provide for ready disengagement of the faucet from the fountain when so desired.

In Fig. 3 is shown the bung in cross-section on line as with side lugs 20, which engage in the body of the fountain to prevent said bung from turning when the fastening-nut is being adjusted.

That I claim is- In a soda-water apparatus, the combination, with a fountain provided with a bung having an exteriorly-screw-threaded portion, of

a faucet having an interiorly-screw-threaded boss 14, fitting the threaded exterior of said bung, said faucet having also centrally within said boss an interiorly-threaded recess with a surrounding shoulder, a fountain pipe screwed into said recess and being thereby removably joined to said faucet, and a packing gasket 17, interposed between the top of said bung and the said shoulder, whereby the contents of the fountain are entirely excluded from the screw-threads connecting the parts of the bung and the faucet and the joints are securely packed, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALVIN D. PUFFER.

Witnesses:

H. E. LODGE, e FRANCIS C. STANwooD. 

